With experience beyond her years, a new teacher goes forth
STE credential graduate Briana Martinez follows in familiar footsteps as she prepares to enter the teaching profession.
Briana Martinez is ready to officially enter the family business. Of course, some might say she was born ready.
鈥淚 basically grew up in classrooms, so I've seen what it takes to be a teacher,鈥 she said. 鈥淎s I started thinking about my future during high school, I just couldn't picture myself doing anything else.鈥
The 色情视频 liberal studies alumna just took the culminating step that will allow her to reach her dream, earning a multiple-subject (elementary) teaching credential from the 色情视频 School of Teacher Education (STE).
She does so amid fanfare. At the end of the semester, Martinez was named recipient of the Phil Halfaker Award, bestowed upon the top credential candidate in the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District cohort.
"Briana is just a fabulous teacher with an incredible confidence about her,鈥 said STE lecturer and cohort leader Emily Watson. 鈥淚 saw her one day subbing for a sixth grade class. She was strictly business, no nonsense. She holds them accountable, but is very loving 鈥 the warm demander that we encourage teachers to become.
鈥淪he connects well with students, but at the same time commands that level of respect that experienced teachers have.鈥
There is a good reason for that.
Martinez not only came up as a student in the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District, her father Nick Martinez and her older sister Viviana Martinez are teachers there at La Mesa Dale Elementary. Viviana, a 2018 graduate of 色情视频, will enter STE鈥檚 master鈥檚 program this summer.
Family affair
And that鈥檚 just the tip of the iceberg. Briana has cousins, aunts and uncles who are in-service teachers in the Imperial Valley, where her father was raised and where her paternal grandfather worked in schools as a bus driver and janitor.
鈥淚鈥檝e long understood the hard work of being a teacher,鈥 Martinez said. 鈥淭he going in early, the staying late. But I鈥檝e also seen the reward of it all 鈥 seeing kids grow. There are some students who I went to school with who still remember my dad and have good things to say about him.
鈥淭his is a great profession to be in.鈥
The newest teacher in the family takes after her father鈥檚 鈥渇irm but fair鈥 style.
鈥淭he students know I care and that when I am firm with them it's for a reason,鈥 Martinez said. 鈥淚 have high expectations for them. I'm also humorous with them 鈥 we joke around. But at the end of the day, you're not gonna get away with anything.鈥
Martinez had other mentors on her journey too. As a student at Helix Charter High School, she was influenced by teacher Eric Ginsberg 鈥 also an 色情视频 lecturer 鈥 who runs a program to develop future educators.
As a credential candidate, she thrived as a student teacher in the fifth-grade classroom of guide teacher Jennifer Flores at Highlands Elementary. Martinez even plans to finish out the school year with her classroom even though the requirements of her program are complete.
During her experience in La Mesa Spring Valley, Martinez also got a distinctive assignment 鈥 serving as a substitute teacher in her father鈥檚 first-grade classroom.
鈥淚t was interesting, because they're like 鈥極oh, you're his daughter?鈥 Martinez said. 鈥淏ut they knew my dad and I were kind of the same, teaching-wise.鈥
鈥淵ou can't mess around,鈥 she adds, laughing. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 not happening with me.鈥